coarser; coarsest
1
: of ordinary or inferior quality or value : common
of what coarse metal ye are molded—
Shakespeare
Shakespeare2
a(1)
: composed of relatively large parts or particles
coarse sand
(2)
: loose or rough in texture
coarse cloth
b
: adjusted or designed for heavy, fast, or less delicate work
a coarse saw with large teeth
c
: not precise or detailed with respect to adjustment or discrimination
filled in the details of the rather coarse preliminary report
3
: crude or unrefined in taste, manners, or language
4
: harsh, raucous, or rough in tone
5
chiefly British
: of or relating to coarse fish
coarse fishing
coarsely
adverb
coarseness
noun
Examples of coarse in a Sentence
He was a man of middle age with coarse, curly gray hair, a dark, pock-marked complexion and protruding, almost batrachian eyes.
—Leila Hadley, Give Me the World, (1958) 1999
He had a heavy face and a shrivelled nose and thick, coarse, bunched up skin.
—Paul Theroux, Granta, Summer 1994
She'd always been taught—and she'd felt it instinctively—that sun-braised cheeks, sallow skin and reddened hands were coarse and unsightly, the emblem of the foreigner and the day laborer.
—T. Coraghessan Boyle, The Road To Wellville, 1993
Around the throbbing machinery was a frame of coarse wire net.
—Ursula K. Le Guin, Harper's, August 1990
The dog has a thick, coarse coat.
The fabric varies in texture from coarse to fine.
Leila Hadley, Give Me the World, (1958) 1999
He had a heavy face and a shrivelled nose and thick, coarse, bunched up skin.
—Paul Theroux, Granta, Summer 1994
She'd always been taught—and she'd felt it instinctively—that sun-braised cheeks, sallow skin and reddened hands were coarse and unsightly, the emblem of the foreigner and the day laborer.
—T. Coraghessan Boyle, The Road To Wellville, 1993
Around the throbbing machinery was a frame of coarse wire net.
—Ursula K. Le Guin, Harper's, August 1990
The dog has a thick, coarse coat.
The fabric varies in texture from coarse to fine.
Recent Examples on the Web
For the herb paste: Process parsley, thyme, sage, rosemary, shallot, garlic, lemon zest, salt, and pepper in food processor until consistency of coarse paste, about 10 2-second pulses.
—Cathy Thomas, Orange County Register, 11 Nov. 2024
Some, his hardcore base, agree with everything the former president says right down to the coarsest insults.
—Doyle McManus, Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2024
This is because flour is made from the fine, soft powder separated from the coarse particles of ground wheat or other grains.
—Erik Kain, Forbes, 6 Oct. 2024
Grind your own meat for sausages and burgers with the KitchenAid food grinder attachment, which comes with fine, medium, and coarse grinding plates.
—Tiffany Hopkins, Bon Appétit, 4 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for coarse 
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Cathy Thomas, Orange County Register, 11 Nov. 2024
Some, his hardcore base, agree with everything the former president says right down to the coarsest insults.
—Doyle McManus, Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2024
This is because flour is made from the fine, soft powder separated from the coarse particles of ground wheat or other grains.
—Erik Kain, Forbes, 6 Oct. 2024
Grind your own meat for sausages and burgers with the KitchenAid food grinder attachment, which comes with fine, medium, and coarse grinding plates.
—Tiffany Hopkins, Bon Appétit, 4 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for coarse
Dictionary Entries Near coarse
Cite this Entry
“Coarse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coarse. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
coarse
adjective
ˈkō(ə)rs 
ˈkȯ(ə)rs
coarser; coarsest
1
: of ordinary or poor quality
2
: made up of large parts or particles
coarse sand
3
: being harsh or rough
coarse cloth
4
: not precise or detailed : roughly approximate
5
: crude in taste, manners, or language
coarsely
adverb
coarsen
verb
ˈkōrs-ᵊn
ˈkȯrs-
coarseness
noun
Medical Definition
coarse
adjective1
: visible to the naked eye or by means of a compound microscope
coarse particles
2
of a tremor
: of wide excursion
a coarse tremor of the extremities
3
: harsh, raucous, or rough in tone
—used of some sounds heard in auscultation in pathological states of the chest
coarse rales
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